I own I've wrong 'd you, moft unjuft ly wrong'dyou; Drove you from court, from Crete, and from father:

your

The court, all Crete, deplor'd their fuffering hero,
And I (the fad occafion) most of all.

Yet could you know relenting Phædra's foul!
O! could you think with what reluctant grief
I wrong'd the hero whom I wifh'd to cherish!
O! you'd confefs me wretched, not unkind;
And own thofe ills did moft deferve your pity,
Which moft procur'd your hate.

Hip. My hate to Phædra!

Ha! could I hate the royal fpoufe of Thefeus, My queen, my mother?

Phad. Why your queen and mother? More humble ties would fuit my loft condition. Alas! the iron hand of death is on me, And I have only time t' implore your pardon. Ah! would my lord forget injurious Phædra, And with compaffion view her helpless orphan! Would he receive him to his dear protection, Defend his youth from all encroaching foes! Hip. O, I'll defend him, with my life defend

See, Thefeus,fee, how much yourPhædralov'dyou. Phad. Love him; indeed! dote, languish, die for him.

Forfake my food, my fleep, all joys for Thefeus;
But Thefeus as he was when mantling blood
But not that hoary venerable Thefeus,
Glow'd in his lovely checks; when his bright
eyes

Sparkled with youthful fires; when ev'ry grace
Shone in the father which now crowns the ion,
When Thefeus was Hippolitus.

Hip. Ha! amazement ftrikes me : Where will this end?

Lyc. Is't difficult to gucfs? Does not her flying palenefs, that but now Sat cold and languid in her fading check (Where now fucceeds a momentary luftre), Does not her beating heart, her trembling limbs,

Her wifhing looks, her fpeech, her prefent filence,

All, all proclaim imperial Phædra loves you?
Hip. What do I hear? what, does no light-
No thunder bellow, when fuch monftrous crimes
ning flash,
Are own'd, avow'd, confefs'd? All-fecing fun!
Hide, hide in fhameful night thy beamy head,
And ceafe to view the horrors of thy race.
Alas! I fhare th' amazing guilt; thefe eyes,
That firft infpir'd the black inceftuous flame;
Thefe cars, that heard the tale of impious love,
Are all accurft, and all deferve your thunder.

Phad. Alas, my lord! believe me not fo vile.
No; by thy goddefs, by the chafte Diana,
None but my firft, my much-lov'd lord Ar-
famnes,

Was e'er receiv'd in thefe unhappy arms.

No-for the love of thee, of thofe dear charms
Which now I fee are doom'd to be my ruin,
I ftill denied my lord, my husband Thefeus,
The chafte, the modeft joys of spotlefs mar

my vengeance;

Provoke me not: nor tempt my fwelling rage
With black reproaches, fcorn, and provocation,
To do a deed my reafon would abhor.
Long has the fecret struggled in my breast,
Long has it rack'd and rent my tortur'd bofom;
But now 'tis out. Shame, rage, confufion, tear
And drive me on to act unheard-of crimes ;
To murder thee, myfelf, and all that know it.
As when convulfions cleave the lab'ring earth,
Before the difinal yawn appears, the ground
Trembles and heaves, the nodding houfes crafh;

's fafe who from the dreadful warning flies, it he that fees its opening bofom dies. [Exi. p. Then let me take the warning, and retire; I rather truft the rough Ionian waves an woman's fiercer rage.

[Ifmena fbewus berfelf, liftening.

Luc. Alas, my lord ! u must not leave the queen to her despair. Hip. Muft not! from thee? from that vile upstart Lycon ?

Lye. Yes; from that Lycon who derives his greatness

Tom Phædra's race, and now would guard her life. hen, Sir, forbear; view here this royal fignet, And in her faithful flave obey the queen. [Enter guards and Cratander. Guards, watch the prince; but at that awful distance,

*With that refpect, it may not fcem confinement, at only meant for honour.

up. So, confinement is

honour Crete beftows on Thefeus' fon. a I confin'd? and is 't fo foon forgot, When fierce Procruftes' arms o'er-ran your kingdom?

When your streets echoed with the cries of orphans, Your thricking maids clung round the hallow'd fhrines,

When all your palaces and lofty tow'rs *mok'd on the earth, when the red fky around Glow'd with your city's flames (a dreadful luftre);

Then, then my father flew to your affistance;

Hip. Gods! dares he speak thus to a monarch's

fon?

And muft this earth-born flave command in Crete?
Was it for this my godlike father fought?
Did Thefeus bleed for Lycon? O ye Cretans,
See there your king, the fucceffor of Minos,
And heir of Jove.

Lyc. You may as well provoke
That Jove you worship, as this flave you fcorn:
Go feize Almæon, Nicias, and all
The black abettors of this impious treason.
[Exit a Soldier.
Now o'er thy head th' avenging thunder rolls;
For know on me depends thy inftant doom.
Then learn, proud prince, to bend thy haughty
foul,

And, if thou think 'ft of life, obey the queen. Hip. Then free from fear or guilt I'll wait my doom.

Whate'er's my fault, no stain fhall blot my glory.
I'll guard my honour, you difpofe my
life.
Lyc. Be it fo; Cratander, follow me.

[Ex. Lyc. and Crat. Hip. Since he dares brave my rage, the danger's near.

The timorous hounds that hunt the gen'rous lion
Bay afar off, and tremble in pursuit;
But, when he ftruggles in th' entangling toils,
Infult the dying prey.

Enter Imena and Lady.

'Tis kindly done, Ifmena, With all your charms to vifit my distress;

nours.

nd do you thus reward the hero's toil? And do you now confine the hero's fon?

Jac. Take not an eafy fhort confinement ill, Which your own fafety and the queen's requires,

Toor harbour fear of one that joys to ferve you. p. O, I difdain thec, traitor, but not fear thee;

or will I hear of fervices from Lycon. he very looks are lyes; eternal falfehood les in thy looks, and flatters in thy eyes; n in thy humble face I read my ruin, ev'ry cringing bow and fawning fmile. hy elfe d'ye whisper out your dark fufpicions? by with malignant elogies increase The people's fears, and praife me to my ruin? V. hy thro' the troubled streets of frighted Gnof

fus

O imena, is it then given me to behold thy beauties!

Those bluthing fweets, thofe lovely loving eyes!
To prefs, to ftrain thee to my beating heart,
And grow thus to my love! What's liberty to this?
What's fame or greatnefs take 'em, take 'em,
Phædra,

Freedom and fame, and in the dear confinement
Inclofe me thus for ever.

Ijm. O Hippolitus!

O, I could ever dwell in this confinement!
Nor with for aught while I behold my lord:
But yet
that with, that only with is vain,
When my hard fate thus forces me to beg you,
Drive froin your godlike foul a wretched maid:
Take to your arms (aflift me, heaven! to speak it)
Take to your arms imperial Phædra,
And think of me no more.

Hip. Not think of thee?
What! part? for ever part? unkind Ifmena!
O! can you think that death is half fo dread-
ful,

As it would be to live, and live without thee?
Say, fhould I quit thee, fhould I turn to Phædra,
Say, couldft thou bear it? could thy tender foul
Endure the torment of despairing love,
And fee me fettled in a rival's arms?

Im. Think not of me. Perhaps my equal

mind

With all her charms o'er-rule your fullen honour,
You yet might live, nor leave the poor Ifmena.
Hip. Speak: if I can, I'm ready to obey.
Im. Give the queen hopes.

Hip. No more-my foul difdains it.
No-should I try, my haughty foul would fwell,
Sharpen each word, and threaten in my eyes.
O, fhould I ftoop to cringe, to lye, forfwear?
Deferve the ruin which I strive to fhun?

Ifm. O, I can't bear this cold contempt of

death!

This rigid virtue, that prefers your glory
To liberty or life. O cruel man!

By thefe fad fighs, by these poor ftreaming eyes,
By that dear love that makes us now unhappy,
By the near danger of that precious life,
Heaven knows I value much above my own.
What! not yet mbv'd? are you refolv'd on death?
Then, ere 'tis night, I fwear by all the pow'rs,
This fteel fhall end my fears and life together.
Hip. You fhan't be trufted with a life fo pre-
cious.

No; to the court I'll publifh your defign:
Ev'n bloody Lycon will prevent your fate;
Lycon fhall wrench the dagger from your bo-
fom,

And raving Phædra will preserve Ifmena.

That pants, and ftruggles with the whirling

waves,

And catches ev'ry flender reed to fave him.
Lady. But fhould he do what your commands
enjoin'd him,
Say, fhould he wed her?

Ifm. Should he wed the queen?
O! I'd remember that 'twas my request,
And die well pleas'd I made the hero happy.

Lady. Die does Ifmena then refolve to die?
Ifm. Can I then live? can I, who lov'd fo well,
To part with all my blifs to fave my lover?
O! can I drag a wretched life without him,
And fee another revel in his arms?

O, 'tis in death alone I can have comfort!
Enter Lycon.

Lyc. What a reverse is this! perfidious boy,
Is this thy truth? is this thy boasted honour?
Then all are rogues alike: I never thought
But one man honeft, and that one deceives me.
[Afide.

Ifmena here!

All's chang'd to love and harmony, my fair. 'Tis all agreed: and now the prince is fafe From the fure vengeance of defpairing love;

Phædra:

I'll tell her all the fecrets of our love;
Give to her rage her clofe deftructive rival :
Her rival fure will fall; her love may fave you.'
Come, fee me labour in the pangs of death,
My agonizing limbs, my dying eyes,
Dying, yet fix'd in death on my Hippolitus.
Hip. What's your defign? ye pow'rs! what
means my love?

Im. She means to lead you in the road of fate;
She means to die with one fhe can't preserve.
Yet when you fee me pale upon the earth,
This once-lov'd form grown horrible in death,
Sure your relenting foul would with you'd fav'd

Ifm. Say what occafion, chance, or Heaven inspires;

Say that you love her, that you lov'd her long; Say that you'll wed her, fay that you'll comply; Say, to preferve your life, fay any thing.

[Exit Hip. Blefs him, ye pow'rs! and if it be a crime, O! if the pious fraud offend your justice, Aim all your vengeance on Ifmena's head; Punish Imena, but forgive Hippolitus. He's gone, and now my brave refolves are stagger'd; Now I repent, like fome defpairing wretch That boldly plunges in the frightful deep,

Lady. Wait the fuccefs: it is not yet decided. Im. Not yet decided! did not Lycon tell us How he protefted, figh'd, and look'd, and vow'd? How the foft paffion languish'd in his eyes? Ay, no, he loves, he dotes on Phedra's charms. Now, now he clafps her to his panting breast, Now he devours her with his eager cycs, Now grafps her hands, and now he looks, and vows The der falle things that charm'd the poor Imena.

He comes; be ftill, my heart; the tyrant comes, Charming tho' falfe, and lovely in his guilt.

Enter Hippolitus.

Hip. Why hangs that cloudy forrow on your

brow?

Who do you figh? why flow your fwelling eyes, Thofe eyes that us'd with joy to view Hippolitus Ifm. My lord, my foul is charm'd with your fuccefs.

You know, my lord, my fears are but for you,
For your dear life; and fince my death alone
Can make you fafe, that foon fhall make you
happy.

Yet had you brought lefs love to Phædra's arms,
My foul had parted with a le's regret,
Bleft if furviving in your dear remembrance.
Hip. Your death! my love! my marriage! and

to Phædra!

Hear me, Ifinena.

Ifm. No, I dare not hear

you.

But tho' you've been thus cruelly unkind,
Tho' you have left me for the royal Phædra,
Yet ftill my foul o'er-runs with fondnefs tow'rds

Pardon the errors of a filly maid,

Wild with her fears, and mad with jealoufy;
For ftill that fear, that jealoufy, was love.
Hafte then, my lord, and fave yourself by flight:
And when your abfent, when your godlike form
Shall ceafe to cheer forlorn Ifmena's eyes,
Then let each day, each hour, each minute, bring
Some kind remembrance of your conftant love;
Speak of your b, your fortune, and your
friends.

(For fure thole friends fhall have my tend'reft wishes)

Speak much of al!; but of thy dear, dear love, Speak much, fpeak very much, but ftill speak on.

Hip. O thy dear love fhall ever be my theme; Of that alone I'll talk the live-long day; But thus I'll talk, thus dwelling in thy eyes, Tafting the odours of thy fragrant bofom. Come then, to crown me with immottal joys, Come, be the kind companion of my flight, Come, hafte with me to leave this fatal fhore. The bark before prepar'd for my departure Expects its freight; an hundred lufty rowers Have way'd their finewy arms, and call Hippolitus; The loofen'd canvas trembles with the wind, And the fea whitens with aufpicious gales.

Ifin. Fly then, my lord, and may the gods prote&t thee !

Fly, ere infidious Lycon work thy ruin;
Flv, ere my fondnefs talk thy life away;
Fly from the queen.

Hip. But not from my Ifmena.

Why do you force me from your heavenly fight,
With thofe dear arms that ought to clafp me to thee!
Ifm. O, I could rave for ever at my fate!
And, with alternate love and fear poffets'd,
Now force thee from my arms, now thatch thee to
my breaft,

thee.

you.

by the joys our mutual loves have brought, By the bleft hours I've languifh'd at your feet, all the love you ever bore Hippolitus, Come, fly from hence, and make him ever happy. Ifm. Hide me, ye Pow'rs! I never fhall refift.

By

Hip. Will you refuse me? can I leave behind me All that infpires my foul, and cheers my cyes? Will you not go then here I'll wait my docm. Come, raving Phædra; bloedy Lycon, come!

I offer

I offer to your rage this worthless life,
Since 'tis no longer my Ifmena's care.

Ifm. O, hafte away, my lord! I go, I fly
Thro' all the dangers of the boift'rous deep.
When the wind whiftles thro' the crackling mafts,
When thro' the yawning fhip the foaming fea
Rolls bubbling in; then, then I'll clafp thee fast,
And in tranfporting love forget my fear.
O, I will wander thro' the Scythian gloom,
O'er ice, and hills of everlafting fnow;
There, when the horrid darkness fhall inclofe us,
When the bleak wind fhall chill my fhiv'ring
limbs,

Thou fhalt alone fupply the diftant fun,
And cheer my gazing eyes, and warm my heart.
Hip. Come, let's away, and like another Jafon
I'll bear my beauteous conqueft thro' the feas:
A greater treafure, and a nobler prize,
Than he from Colchos bore. Sleep, fleep in peace,
Ye moufters of the woods, on Ida's top
Securely roam; no more my early horn
Shall wake the lazy day. Tranfforting love
Reigns in my heart, and makes me all its own.
So, when bright Venus yielded up her charms,
The bleft Adonis languifh'd in her arms;
His idle horn on fragrant myrtles hung,
His arrows fcatter'd, and his bow unftrung:
Obfcure in coverts lie his dreaming hounds,
And bay the fancied boar with feeble founds;
For nobler fports he quits the favage fields,
And all the hero to the lover yields.

АСТ III.

Enter Lycon and Guards.

[Exeunt.

The fertile province of Cydonia's thine :
Is there aught elfe? has happy Phædra aught
In the wide circle of her far-ftretch'd empire?
Afk, take, my friend, fecure of no repulfe.
Let fpacious Crete thro' all her hundred cities
Refound her Phædra's joy. Let altars fmoak,
And richest gums, and fpice, and incenfe roll
Their fragrant wreaths to Heaven, to pitying
Heaven,

Which gives Hippolitus to Phædra's arms.
Set all at large, and bid the loathfome dungeons
Give up the meagre flaves that pine in darkness
And wafe in grief, as did defpairing Phædra:
Let them be cheer'd, let the ftarv'd prifoners riot,
And glow with gen'rous wine.-Let forrow cease;
Let none be wretched, none, fince Phædra's
happy.

But now he comes, and with an equal paffion
Rewards my flame, and fprings into my arms!
Enter Meffinger.

Phad. Could he deceive me? could that godlike youth

Defign the ruin of a queen that loves?
O, he's all truth; his words, his looks, his eyes,

Open to view his inmoft thoughts. He comes.

Ha! who art thou? whence com'ft thou? where's Hippolitus?

Enter Meffenger.

Mef. Madam, Hippolitus with fair Ifmena Drove tow'rd the port

Phad. With fair Ifmena?

Curft be her cruel beauty, curft her charms, Curft all her foothing, fatal, falfe endearments. That heavenly virgin, that exalted goodness, Could fee me tortur'd with defpairing love, With artful tears could mourn my monftrous fuff'rings,

While her bafe malice plotted my destruction. Lyc. A thoufand reafons crowd upon my foul That evidence their love.

Phæd. Yes, yes, they love;

Why elfe fhould he refufe my proffer'd bed? Why should one warm'd with youth, and thirst

of glory,

Difdain a foul, a form, a crown like mine? Lye. Where, Lycon, where was then thy boasted cunning?

Dull, thoughtless wretch!

13

Phæd.